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M1903 Springfield
|range= | max_range= |weight= depending on wood density |length= |part_length= |feed= 5-round, 25-round(Air Service variant) stripper clip, internal box magazine |rate= 15 rounds/min |sights= Flip-up rear sight, barleycorn-type front sight M1903A3: Aperture rear sight, barleycorn-type front sight |variants= See Variants |number produced= 10,500 |}} The M1903 Springfield, formally the United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, Model 1903, is an American clip-loaded, 5-shot, bolt-action service rifle used primarily during the first half of the 20th century. It was officially adopted as a United States military bolt-action rifle on June 21, 1905, and saw service in World War I. It was officially replaced as the standard infantry rifle by the faster-firing, semi-automatic 8 round M1 Garand, starting in 1937. However, the M1903 Springfield remained in service as a standard issue infantry rifle during World War II, since the U.S. entered the war without sufficient M1 rifles to arm all troops. It also remained in service as a sniper rifle during World War II, the Korean War and even in the early stages of the Vietnam War. It remains popular as a civilian firearm, historical collector's piece and as a military drill rifle. History Background The 1903 adoption of the Springfield Bolt Action was preceded by nearly 30 years of struggle and politics, using lessons learned from the recently adopted U.S. versions of the Krag-Jørgensen rifle and contemporary German Mauser G98 bolt-action rifles. The M1903 not only replaced the various versions of the U.S. Army's Krag, but also the Lee Model 1895 and M1885 Remington-Lee used by the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, as well as all remaining single shot trap-door Springfield Model 1873's. While the Krag had been issued in both a long rifle and carbine, the Springfield was issued only as a short 24 in. barrel rifle in keeping with current trends in Switzerland and Great Britain to eliminate the need for both long rifles and carbines.Seton-Karr, Henry (Sir), Rifle, Encyclopaedia Britannica (11th ed.), New York: The Encyclopaedia Britannica Co., Vol. 23 (Ref - Sai), (1911), p. 328 The two main problems usually cited with the Krag were its slow-to-load magazine and its inability to handle higher chamber pressures for high-velocity rounds. The United States Army attempted to introduce a higher-velocity cartridge in 1899 for the existing Krags, but its single locking lug on the bolt could not withstand the extra chamber pressure. Though a stripper-clip or charger loading modification to the Krag was designed, it was clear to Army authorities that a new rifle was required. After the U.S. military's experience with the Mauser rifle in the 1898 Spanish American War, authorities decided to adopt a stronger Mauser-derived design equipped with a charger- or stripper clip-loaded box magazine. Adoption The basic time line is that work began on creating a rifle that could handle higher loads and adopted some of Mauser's features, began around the turn of the 20th century by Springfield, with a prototype produced in 1900, and going into production in 1903, thus gaining its nomenclature. There was actually an interim rifle that almost entered production, the Model 1901. Springfield was sure enough that the Model 1901 would be accepted that they began making some parts, but it was not accepted and further changes were asked for. The design was further modified and accepted, type classified and entering production in 1903. World War I and interwar use By the time of U.S. entry into World War I, 843,239 of these rifles had been produced at Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal. Pre-war production utilized questionable metallurgy. Some receivers were improperly subjected to excessive temperatures during the forging process. The carbon could be "burnt" out of the steel producing a brittle receiver.Canfield, February 2008, p. 13 Despite documented evidence indicating some early rifles were improperly forged, actual cases of failure were very rare. Although several cases of serious injury from receiver failure were documented, the U.S. Army never reported any fatalities. Evidence also seems to suggest that improperly forged brass shell casings could have exacerbated receiver failure.''Lyon, Joseph: Some Observations On The Failure Of U.S. Model 1903 Rifle Receivers (http://m1903.com/03rcvrfail/) Towards the end of the war, Springfield turned out the Model 1903 Mark I. The Mark I has a cut on the left hand side of the receiver meant to act as an ejection port for the Pedersen device, a modified sear and cutoff to operate the Pedersen device; a specialized insert that replaced the bolt and allowed the user to fire .30 caliber pistol cartridges semi-automatically from a detachable magazine. The stock was also slightly cut down on the left side to clear the ejection port. In all other respects, the Mark I is identical to the 1903. Temperature control during forging was improved prior to Mark I production. The receiver alloy was toughened by addition of nickel after Mark I production. In 1926, after experiencing the effect of long-range German 7.92x57mm Mauser and machine gun fire during the war, the U.S. Army adopted the heavy 174-grain boat-tail bullet for its .30-06 cartridge, standardized as 'Cartridge, Ball, caliber 30, M1'.Barnes, Frank C., ''Cartridges of the World, 6th ed., DBI Books Inc. (1989), p. 59 M1 ammunition, intended primarily for long-range machine gun use, soon became known by Army rifle competition teams and expert riflemen for its considerably greater accuracy over that of the M1906 round; the new M1 ammunition was issued to infantrymen with the Springfield rifle as well as to machine gun teams.Dunlap, Roy, Ordnance Went Up Front, Samworth Press (1948), p. 303 However, during the late 1930s, it became apparent that, with the development of mortars, high-angle artillery, and the .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun, the need for extreme long-range, rifle-caliber machine-gun fire was decreasing. In 1938, the U.S. army reverted to a .30-06 cartridge with a 152-grain flat-base bullet, now termed M2 Ball, for all rifles and machine guns. In service, the Springfield was generally prized for its reliability and accuracy, though some problems remained. The precision rear aperture sight was located too far from the eye for efficient use, and the narrow, unprotected front sight was both difficult to see in poor light and easily damaged. The U.S. Marine Corps issued the Springfield with a sight hood to protect the front sight, along with a thicker front blade. The two-piece firing pin/striker also proved to be no improvement over the original one-piece Mauser design, and was a cause of numerous Ordnance repairs, along with occasional reports of jammed magazine followers. World War II World War II saw new production of the Springfield at private manufacturers Remington Arms and Smith-Corona Typewriter. Remington began production of the M1903 in September 1941, at serial number 3,000,000, using old tooling from the Rock Island Arsenal which had been in storage since 1919. The very early rifles are almost indistinguishable from 1919-made Rock Island rifles. As the already worn tooling began to wear beyond use Remington began seeking Army approval for a continuously increasing number of changes and simplifications to both speed up manufacture and improve performance. The milled parts on the Remington M1903 were gradually replaced with stamped parts until, at about serial number 3,330,000, the Army and Remington recognized that a new model name was appropriate. Other features of the M1903, such as high-grade walnut stocks with finger grooves, were replaced with less expensive but serviceable substitutes. Most milled parts made by Remington were marked with an "R". M1903 production was discontinued in favor of the M1903A3. The most noticeable visual difference in the M1903A3 was the replacement of the barrel-mounted rear sight with a smaller, simpler aperture rear sight mounted on the rear of the receiver; it was primarily adopted in order to speed familiarization by soldiers already trained on the M1 Garand, which had a similar sighting system. However, the leaf spring providing tension to the elevation adjustment on the new aperture sight tended to weaken with continued use over time, causing the rifle to lose its preset range elevation setting.Dunlap, Roy, Ordnance Went Up Front, Samworth Press (1948), p. 302 Other modifications included a new stamped cartridge follower; ironically, the rounded edges of the new design largely alleviated the 'fourth-round jam' complaints of the earlier machined part. All stock furniture was also redesigned in stamped metal. In late 1942, Smith-Corona Typewriter Company also began production of the M1903A3 at its plant in Syracuse, NY.Brophy, William, The Springfield 1903 Rifles, Stackpole Books (1985), p. 187 Smith/Corona parts are usually identified by the absence of markings (Smith/Corona bolts are sometimes marked with an "X" on top of the bolt handle root). To speed production output, two-groove rifled barrels were adopted, and steel alloy specifications were relaxed under 'War Emergency Steel' criteria for both rifle actions and barrels.Dunlap, Roy, Ordnance Went Up Front, Samworth Press (1948), p. 362 M1903A3 rifles with two-groove 'war emergency' barrels were shipped with a printed notation stating that the reduction in rifling grooves did not affect accuracy.Dunlap, Roy, Ordnance Went Up Front, Samworth Press (1948), p. 301 As the war progressed, various machining and finishing operations were eliminated on the M1903A3 in order to increase production levels. Original production rifles at Remington and Smith-Corona had a dark gray/black finish similar to the Parkerizing of late World War I. Beginning in late 1943 a lighter gray/green Parkerizing finish was used. This later finish was also used on arsenal repaired weapons. It is somewhat unusual to find a World War I or early World War II M1903 with its original dated barrel. Much, if not all, World War II .30-06 ammunition used a corrosive primer which left corrosive salts in the barrel. If not removed by frequent and proper barrel cleaning these residues could cause pitting and excessive wear. In the jungle fighting on various Pacific islands cleaning was sometimes lax and the excessive moisture compounded the corrosive action of the residue. . The M1903 and the M1903A3 rifle were used in combat alongside the M1 Garand by the U.S. military during World War II and saw extensive use and action in the hands of U.S. troops in Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific. The U.S. Marines were initially armed with M1903 rifles in early battles in the Pacific, such as the Battle of Guadalcanal, but the jungle battle environment generally favored self-loading rifles;George, John (Lt Col), Shots Fired In Anger, NRA Press (1981), p. 391: "Nearly every one Marine I talked to Guadalcanal who used the Springfield in combat-without a scope-would have much rather been using a Garand." later Army units arriving to the island were armed with the M1 Garand.George, John (Lt Col), Shots Fired In Anger, NRA Press (1981), p. 391 The U.S. Army Rangers were also a major user of the M1903 and the M1903A3 during World War II with the Springfield being preferred over the M1 Garand for certain commando missions. According to Bruce Canfield's encyclopedic U.S. Infantry Weapons of WW II, final variants of the M1903 (the A3 and A4) were delivered in February 1944. By then, most American combat troops had been re-equipped with the M1 Garand. However, some front-line infantry units in both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps retained M1903s as infantry rifles beyond that date and continued to use them alongside the M1 Garand until the end of the Second World War in 1945. The Springfield remained in service for snipers (using the M1903A4), grenadiers (using a spigot type rifle 22 mm grenade launcher) and Marine Scout Sniper units. The M1903A4 was the U.S. Army's first attempt at a standardized sniper weapon. M1903A3 actions were fitted with a different stock and a Weaver Model 330 or 330C 2.2x telescopic sight in Redfield Jr. mounts; the front and rear iron sights were removed. Barrel specifications were unchanged, and many M1903A4s were equipped with the two-groove 'war emergency' barrel.George, John (Lt. Col.), Shots Fired In Anger, NRA Press (1981), p. 392 By all accounts, the M1903A4 was inadequate as a sniper rifle.George, John (Lt. Col.), Shots Fired In Anger, NRA Press (1981), p. 392-393 The Weaver scopes (later standardized as the M73 and M73B1) were not only low-powered in magnification, they were not waterproofed, and frequently fogged over or became waterlogged during humidity changes. When this occurred, the M1904A4's lack of open front or rear sights rendered the weapon useless. Normally used with ordinary M2 ammunition with a 152-grain flat-base bullet, accuracy of the M1903A4 was generally disappointing;Dunlap, Roy, Ordnance Went Up Front, Samworth Press (1948), p. 303 some Army snipers who came across Japanese or German sniper rifles quickly adopted the enemy weapons in place of the Springfield.George, John (Lt. Col.), Shots Fired In Anger, NRA Press (1981), p. 296-299 The Marine Corps declined to issue the M1903A4, favoring instead a modified M1903A1 rifle fitted with a Unertl 8x target-type telescopic sight. The U.S. Army Military Police (MP) and the U.S. Navy Shore Patrol also used M1903s and M1903A3s throughout the war. Various U.S. allies and friendly irregular forces were also equipped with the weapon. The 1st Brazilian Infantry Division, operating in the 5th Army in Italy was equipped with Springfield M1903 rifles. In August 1943, the Free French Forces of General Charles de Gaulle were re-equipped by the United States primarily with Springfield M1903 and M1917 Enfield rifles. The M1903 became one of the primary rifles used by French forces until the end of the war, and was afterwards used by local militia and security forces in Indochina and French Algeria. Springfield M1903 rifles captured by the Germans were designated Gewehr 249(a). Post Korean War Service After the Korean War, active service (as opposed to drill) use of the M1903 was rare. Still, some numbers of them remained in USMC sniper use as late as the Vietnam War. The U.S. Navy also continued to carry some stocks of M1903A3s on board ships, for use as anti-mine rifles. They were also used by Vietnamese irregular troops during the Vietnam War and the First Indochina War Specifications The U.S. rifle, Model of 1903 was 44⅞ inches (1.098 m) long and weighed 8lb 11oz (3.95 kg). A bayonet could be attached; the M1905 bayonet blade was 16 in (406 mm) long and weighed 1 lb (0.45 kg). From 1906, the rifle was chambered to fire the .30-caliber M1906 cartridge (.30-06 cartridge), later the M1 (1926) and M2 Ball (1938) rounds. There were four standard types of cartridge: *'Ball'— consisted of a brass case or shell, primer, a charge of smokeless powder, and the bullet. The bullet had a sharp point called a spitzer bullet, and was composed of a lead core and a jacket of cupro-nickel (later gilding metal), and in the M1906 design, weighed 150 grains (9.7 g). The bullet of the M1906 cartridge, when fired from the rifle, had an initial velocity of 2,800 ft/s (820 m/s). *'Blank'— contained a paper cup instead of a bullet. It is dangerous up to 33 yd (30 m). *'Guard'— had a smaller charge of powder than the ball cartridge, and five cannelures encircle the body of the shell at about the middle to distinguish it from ball cartridges. It was intended for use on guard or in riot duty, and it gave good results up to 200 yd (180 m). The range of 100 yd (90 m) required a sight elevation of 450 yd (410 m), and the range of 200 yd (180 m) required an elevation of 645 yd (590 m). *'Dummy'— this was tin-plated and the shell was provided with six longitudinal corrugations and three circular holes. The primer contains no percussion composition. It was intended for drill purposes to accustom the soldier to the operation of loading the rifle. The rifle was sighted for 2,500 yd (2,300 m) and had a point-blank range of 500 yd (457 m). The maximum range of the ball cartridge, when elevated at an angle of 45°, was 4,890 yd (4.47 km), or 2.77 miles. The rifle was a magazine-fed clip-loader and could fire at a rate of 20 shots per minute. Each stripper clip contained 5 cartridges, and standard issue consisted of 12 clips carried in a cloth bandolier. When full the bandolier weighed about 3 lb 14 oz (1.76 kg). Bandoliers were packed 20 in a box, for a total of 1,200 rounds. The full box weighed 100 lb (45 kg). 150 rounds concentrated at one spot will break a 9 inch (23 cm) wall of brick masonry at 200 yd (180 m). The bore of the rifle is 0.30 inches (7.62 mm) in diameter. It was then rifled 0.004 in (0.1 mm) deep, making the diameter from the bottom of one groove to the bottom of the opposite groove 0.30787 in (7.82 mm) of the barrel. The 1903 rifle included a rear sight leaf that could be used to adjust for elevation. When the leaf was flat, the battle sight appeared on top. This sight was set for ., and was not adjustable. When the leaf was raised it could be adjusted to a maximum extreme range of . The rear sight could also be adjusted for windage. The 1903A3 rear sight was an aperture sight adjustable both for elevation and windage. Variants There were four main variants given official nomenclature, though there are a number of important sub-variants: *'M1903 (1903)—' developed for the .30-03 (also known as the .30-45) cartridge. Used original Type S stock. **'M1903 Bullpup (1903)-' experimental bullpup conversion for the USMC.http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/1115/scan0001xtb.jpg **'M1903 (1905)—' changed from a rod type bayonet to the knife type Model 1905 bayonet and to the improved Model 1905 sight. **'M1903 (1906)—' modified again to specifically fire the new M1906 .30-06 cartridge ("Ball Cartridge, caliber 30, Model of 1906"). **'M1903 NRA (1915–1917)' sold to National Rifle Association members and stamped NRA on the forward tang of the trigger guard.Canfield, Bruce N. American Rifleman (September 2008) pp.72-75 **'M1903 Air Service (1918)' issued to aircrew with permanent 25 round magazine and modified Type S stock forend. **'M1903 Mark I (~1918-1920)—' modified for specific use with the Pedersen device. *'M1903A1 (1930–1939)—' changed from a straight stock to a pistol grip type stock (Type C stock). Nearly all M1903A1s were sold as National Match rifles until World War II. *'M1903A2 (1930s–40s)—' basically a stripped A1 or A3 used as a sub-caliber rifle with artillery pieces. *'M1903A3 (1942)—' modified for easier production with stamped metal parts and somewhat different grip and stock (late model Type S stock; no finger grooves). *'M1903A4 (1942)—' an M1903A3 modified to be a sniper rifle using an M73 or M73B1 2.2X Weaver telescopic sight and different stock. *'M1903 Bushmaster carbine (1940s)—' the barrel and stock were cut down for easier use in Panama; 4,725 such rifles were made. It was a training rifle and saw no action. After World War II most were dumped into the ocean and surviving pieces are rare. There are two main other types, various training types, and competition versions such as the National Match types. Aside from these there are some other civilian versions, experimental versions, and other miscellaneous types. Due to the duration of its service, there is also a range of smaller differences among ones from different periods and manufacturers. In regard to its military use, it is important to note that during World War I it was actually outnumbered by the M1917 Enfield for much of the war. Also, during World War II many remained in use early on, especially in the Pacific (generally replaced as M1 Garands became available), in addition to service (along with other weapons) as a sniper rifle and to launch rifle grenades. See also *.30-06 Springfield - The cartridge most M1903's are chambered for *M1917 Enfield - A substitute standard rifle issued during World War I *M1 Garand - The M1903 Springfield's official replacement *Lee Enfield rifle - Contemporary British Army rifle References * *''Engineer Field Manual'', War Department, Document No. 355, 1909. *''Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of The Army of the United States'', War Department, Document No. 574, 1917. *"Bushmaster '03 Carbine," American Rifle magazine, April 2005, p. 40. *''U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War II.'' Bruce N. Canfield, Andrew Mowbray Publishers, 1994. External links *M1903.com *M1903 Air Service variant *SniperCountry.com article on the M1903 *Springfield M1903 at Modern Firearms *FM 23-10 Basic Field Manual: U.S. Rifle Caliber .30, M1903, 20 September 1943 *(1943) TM 9-270 U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, M1903A4 (Sniper's) Characteristics and Operation and Use of Telescopic Sight *90th Infantry Division Preservation Group - Reference manual page including several M1903 manuals Category:Anti-communist forces weapons Category:Irregular forces weapons Category:Bolt-action rifles Category:Sniper rifles Category:Weapons of the Vietnam War